


Memories are like Words

by Sakura0617



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Gen, Reflection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-07
Updated: 2015-06-07
Packaged: 2018-04-03 07:24:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4092226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sakura0617/pseuds/Sakura0617
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Memories, sensei thought, were just like the words folded between Natsume’s lips."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Memories are like Words

Nyanko-sensei watched as Natsume’s hands reached for the Book of Friends. He caught Natsume’s eye, for a brief second there was a composed silence, then the sound of paper being torn.

Day by day the Book of Friends was slowly getting smaller. All the while Nyanko-sensei watched (albeit not without drunken protest), for the day when nothing remained.

Memories, sensei thought, were just like the words folded between Natsume’s lips. With a ghost of a breath, soft letters soon disappeared quietly into empty space without a trace. And in the warmth of the afterglow, perhaps centuries worth of thoughts and feelings also found their release.

It was in moments like these Nyanko-sensei could see, how the weight of memory was a peculiar thing. Why was it, that the act of letting go never felt like release? On the contrary, when youkai held onto something tightly, and for so long, its parting was the most painful thing to bear. Perhaps deep down what they feared wasn’t pain itself, but simply the act of loosening one’s grip.

However, all this Nyanko sensei told himself he couldn’t comprehend. Because he was a youkai who had lived long enough to know that any lingering thoughts were merely memories, of a memory, of a memory. Original memories disappeared all together. Nyanko sensei had learned long ago not to place his trust in the fickleness of such remembrance. 

From the corner of the room, a rustling sound drew Nyanko-sensei’s attention back to the scene before him. Natsume was moving his hands across the book, preparing to tear another page from the stack. Now that it was time, Nyanko had to wonder if he perhaps he hadn’t been entirely truthful. Characters in between Natsume's fingers sprawled across the paper, rearranged to spell out Madara’s own name. Enveloped by a soft glow of light, Madara saw Reiko in the distance, behind her a small boy.

_Nyanko-sensei had to wonder if he hadn’t been entirely truthful: if perhaps he did understand the fondness for certain memories, after all._

**Author's Note:**

> Very reflective Nyanko-sensei. It's rare to see him in a pensive mood xD hope you like it!


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